The multi-talented actor Steve Martin turns 79
He started his career as a comedy writer for The Smothers Brothers Show but it was with the memorable 1987 movie “Roxanne” that solidified his acting career
The multi-talented actor Steve Martin turns 79
Steve Martin was born on August 14, 1945, in Waco, Texas. He grew up in Inglewood, California, and later in Garden Grove, in Orange County. Martin’s father was a real estate salesman, and his mother was a homemaker. As a child, Martin was fascinated by magic and comedy, often performing tricks and routines for family and friends. By the age of 10, he was selling guidebooks and performing magic at Disneyland, where he also learned the banjo—a skill that would later become one of his trademarks.
Martin attended Garden Grove High School and later enrolled at Santa Ana College, where he studied philosophy. He transferred to UCLA, majoring in theater, but left before completing his degree to pursue a career in comedy.
Martin’s early career was a mix of stand-up comedy, writing, and television appearances. In the late 1960s, he worked as a writer for the television show The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, which earned him an Emmy Award in 1969. His writing skills and unique sense of humor quickly made him a sought-after talent in the world of television comedy.
Throughout the 1970s, Martin developed his stand-up comedy act, which became known for its absurdity, surreal humor, and his use of the banjo. His stand-up performances on shows like The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Saturday Night Live made him a household name. Martin’s albums Let’s Get Small (1977) and A Wild and Crazy Guy (1978) were hugely successful, with the latter earning him two Grammy Awards. His catchphrases, such as “Excuuuuuse me!” became part of the pop culture lexicon.
In the late 1970s, Martin transitioned from stand-up comedy to acting in films. His first major film role was in The Jerk (1979), a comedy that he co-wrote. The film was a box office success and established Martin as a leading comic actor in Hollywood. Over the next decade, he starred in a series of successful comedies, including Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982), The Man with Two Brains (1983), and All of Me (1984), showcasing his versatility and unique comedic style.
Martin’s career continued to flourish in the 1980s and 1990s with memorable roles in films such as Roxanne (1987), for which he won a Writers Guild of America Award for Best Screenplay, Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988), and Father of the Bride (1991). His ability to blend physical comedy with wit and charm made him one of the most popular and respected actors of his generation.
In addition to his comedic roles, Martin also took on more dramatic parts, demonstrating his range as an actor. Films like Grand Canyon (1991) and The Spanish Prisoner (1997) showcased his ability to tackle serious roles with the same skill that he brought to his comedic work.
In the 2000s, Martin continued to act in films, with notable roles in Bringing Down the House (2003), Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), and The Pink Panther (2006). However, he also expanded his career to include writing, music, and art. Martin is a successful author, having written several plays, novels, and memoirs, including Shopgirl (2000), which was adapted into a film in 2005, and Born Standing Up (2007), a memoir about his early years in comedy.
A skilled banjo player, Martin has released several bluegrass albums, including The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo (2009), which won a Grammy Award. He often tours with his band, the Steep Canyon Rangers, and has collaborated with artists like Edie Brickell.
Steve Martin has been married twice. His first marriage was to actress Victoria Tennant from 1986 to 1994. In 2007, he married Anne Stringfield, a writer and former staffer at The New Yorker. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, in 2012, making Martin a first-time father at the age of 67.
In addition to his entertainment career, Martin is an avid art collector and a philanthropist. He has donated significant works of art to museums and supports various charitable causes. One of his latest feature movies is “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk”, released in 2016 and in 2017 appeared on the music documentary “The American Epic Sessions”.
Watch Steve Martin and Bill Murray performing a comedy number in 1979 at Saturday Night Live
Look back at the trailer of the memorable Steve Martin 1987 movie “Roxanne”
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